APPLE WATCH: and why it’s NOW my favorite smart watch.

Like, I’m one of those die-hard Apple people. You probably remember me mentioning that when I gushed over my iPhone 8+ in this post, but it’s 100% true. iPhone, iPad, iMac, MacBook… I have them all. BUT, I resisted adding the Apple Watch into my Apple arsenal for awhile and let me tell you why…

When Apple first released their 1st series Apple Watch back in 2015 I jumped all over it. Like I said, obsessed. But unlike all my other Apple products the love just was not there. I found myself barely wearing it and when I did I wasn’t really utilizing any of the features to make it more than just a really expensive wristwatch… But why? Well, I guess I should start with saying my purpose in purchasing the Apple Watch in the first place and that was the fitness aspect of it. At the time I was a runner and die-hard cardio junkie. I loved being able to track running pace, cardio burn, etc. And at the time, the Apple Watch’s capabilities in those departments was severely lacking. My workouts were never accurate (I clearly remember doing tests between my Polar and Garmin vs my Apple Watch and they never matched up.) I found myself taking my Apple Watch off for workouts and subbing for one of my other fitness tracking watches. Seems kind of silly when you invested a few hundred dollars into a device, right? After about 6 months I sold my Apple Watch and started exclusively using my Polar watch again as I had taken a hiatus from running after tearing my meniscus and no longer needed the Garmin. I dabbled into the world of Fitbit as well which is when I found the Fitbit Blaze and I kind of fell in love – this was in 2016. I ended up selling my Polar and Garmin and started exclusively using my Fitbit Blaze. I loved being able to track my HR, my steps, loved the design of it and loved how reliable it was for all of the data! People constantly questioned why I didn’t just use an Apple Watch with the Blaze being so similar… And time and again I reminded them of my less than awesome experience the first time around…

Ok so, 2017. I ended up trading my Fitbit Blaze in for the new Fitbit Alta (told you, product junkie) and found myself really missing the bigger “face” of the Blaze which is when friends really leaned in on me that I need to give the Apple Watch another chance. They claimed the Series 2 and Series 3 had so many new features and that it didn’t even compare to the “original” Apple Watch. So, I decided I was going to pick one out for my birthday and give it another try!

And within 24 hours guys, I was in love. Completely in love with my Apple Watch.

For all the reasons I didn’t fall in love with it the first time I sure did the second time around.

I opted for the Series 2 Apple Watch 38mm in Rose Gold – yes, over the Series 3 – because I didn’t find the differences to be substantial enough to warrant the extra $150.

Both the Apple Watch 2 and Apple Watch 3 have a 38mm option with 272 x 340 resolution and a 42mm option with 312 x 390 resolution. They also both have the 1000nits display (bright and easy to read, even outdoors.) They both also have the rotating crown on the right side of the watch, which I love and makes it easy to scroll through. They’re also both water resistant up to 50m (which wasn’t the case with my original Apple Watch) so no longer do you have the worry of getting it wet by the pool or the beach – or during bath time with two little boys who love to mimic Shamu’s great splash.

There are some “techy” variations that I’m not going to get too much into because honestly I don’t entirely understand it and it didn’t really play a factor in my decision. I know there are dozens of tech bloggers out there that will give you all the details about the Series 2 S2 dual-core wearable chest and how the S3 processor is better and stronger, etc. but :::woosh::: over my head. Battery life for both the 2 and 3 are extremely comparable from the research I’ve done as well. I think the biggest perk of the Series 3 is the cellular capability. If your Apple Watch having cellular connectivity is a big deal to you – you’ll want to go with the Series 3.

Both the Apple Watch 2 and 3 have an accelerometer, a GPS sensor and a heart-rate monitor (the HR was a huge selling point for me as I need to track my HR because of my pesky hyperthyroid.) They also are both compatible with Apple Pay (love this especially when I leave my wallet in my car and I’m in the check-out line with two over-tired little boys and I need to pay for my overflowing cart of groceries.)

The Apple Watch 3 has some really cute new bands, but guess what, they are compatible with the Series 2 so no victory there. In fact, I scored quite a few SUPER CUTE (and cheap) Apple Watch bands off Amazon here, here, and here. I also got this cute little charger stand for both my Apple Watch and my iPhone 8+ that I’m kind of loving a lot too. If there is ever an opportunity to choose Amazon for my purchase, I’m there.

So what can the Apple Watch do and why do you need to have it?

You ready for this?

Answer Calls

Use the Apple Watch as a flashlight

Use the Apple Watch in Water

Track Your Runs

Stay Quiet in a Movie Theater

Change Your Watch Face

See Info Quickly

Monitor Your Heart Rate

Track Your Fitness

View and Reply to Text and iMessage

Send Apple Watch Emoji

Get iPhone Notifications On Your Wrist

Share Your Heartbeat

Pay with Apple Pay

Use Apple Watch Apps

Get Directions On Your Apple Watch

Send Drawings from the Apple Watch

Use Siri on the Apple Watch

Look at Photos on Your Apple Watch

Connect to Your Car

Send Facebook Messages

Listen to Music on Your Apple Watch

Stream Apple Music on You Apple Watch 3

Share Your Location

Check Your Email

Control Your Apple TV & Music

Use it as a Camera Viewfinder

Find a lost iPhone

Store Tickets on Your Apple Watch

Use it as a Nightstand Clock

Set Your Apple Watch Up to 10 Minutes Fast

Send an SOS

Keep on Track to Close Your Activity Rings

Keep You On Task as a Virtual Assistant

Send Money to Friends with Apple Pay

Use it as a Stopwatch

Show Store Loyalty Cards

Control Your Smart Home

Get Important Weather Alerts

Use as a Translator

Check Your Instagram Feed

Track Your Sleep

QUITE A LOT, am I right?

One of the things I really do love about the Apple Watch is the Activity Sharing feature. In the Activity app on your phone if you go to the “sharing” tab and tap the + icon in the top right you can invite someone to share their activity with you! Then you’ll be able to see their activity in your app on your Apple Watch and you’ll get notifications when they complete workouts or close their rings and vice versa. It reminds me of the Fitbit “challenge” option. That is one thing I loved about Fitbit, the “community” and being able to join in step challenges. While Apple isn’t 100% there yet, I think the Activity Sharing is a step in the right direction!

Basically guys… In a nutshell. It’s super cute & chic. It does a million and one things. You can bring it in the water. You can change up the look of it with different bands. And… it’s Apple. Right? I have to say, I’m a believer.

If there was something I didn’t touch on in the blog that you were wondering about (that isn’t stage 5 tech related) definitely let me know so I can edit to add!